Doubt_Probability_pg. 67

Question 1

What is doubt?

Answer 1

suspension of the intellect’s assentand judgement in reference toa proposition

Question 2

What is doubt opposed to?

Answer 2

certainty,suspicion, and opinion

Question 3

What are te three steps leading to the firm assent of the intellect?

Answer 3

state of doubt wherenoassentexists, states of opinion and suspicion in which the intellect gives an imperfect assent, science and faith where there exists a firm assent w/o any fear of error

Question 4

What are the kinds of doubt?

Answer 4

doubt of law (dubium iuris) or doubt of particular fact (dubium facti)

Question 5

When is doubt positive?

Answer 5

fear of error is based on grave reasons

Question 6

When is doubt negative?

Answer 6

fear of error rests on slight reasons

Question 7

What is speculative doubt?

Answer 7

regarding the morality of a human act irrespective of its present performance or omission

Question 8

What is practical doubt?

Answer 8

concerned w/ morality of an act to be performed here and now

Question 9

What is the First Principle of Doubt?

Answer 9

No one is allowed to perform an act while in a state of positive practical doubt

Question 10

What should man do if in this state to avoid mortal sin?

Answer 10

refrain from acting or remove practical doubt

Question 11

How do we remove doubt?

Answer 11

directly or indirectly

Question 12

How do we directly remove doubt?

Answer 12

diligently searching after truth till certainty attained (seek counsel)

Question 13

How do we indirectly remove doubt?

Answer 13

reflex principles

Question 14

What are Reflex or Indirect Principles?

Answer 14

general directions which directly and of themeselves do not prove the truth of the matter under investigation but do reflect their own clear light on the obscure practical doubt and dispel the darkenss of that doubt while the act is being performed

Question 15

What are the significant reflex principles?

Answer 15

doubtful law has no binding force, in doubt one must stand by presumption, in doubt possession is nine-tenths of the law

Question 16

When does a doubtful law not have binding force?

Answer 16

when doubt concerns the lawfulness of an act and not its validity

Question 17

When can a doubtful law not be applied?

Answer 17

concerns validity of the Sacraments, concerns somthing which is absolutely necessary for salvation e.g. risk of losing eternal life, the safer opinion must be followed, when the question involves an established right of a third party e.g. judge would not be justified in giving judgement on the basis of a probable opinion while refusing to follow what is certainly the more probable opinion

Question 18

What else shoudl one do in doubt?

Answer 18

One must stand in presumption

Question 19

What do most reflex principles stand on?

Answer 19

Decretals of Gregory Ix

Question 20

What are the rights of the third party?

Answer 20

e.g. a judge would never make a decision based on probable opinion

Question 21

what is meant by “in doubt possession is nine-tenths of the law?”

Answer 21

principle forms the basis for the theory of Equiprobabilism and is known in brief as the principle of possession

Question 22

What are the ten reflex principles?

Answer 22

doubtful law does not bind, in case of doubt one must err on the side of where the presumption lies, in case of doubt one must err on the side of the possessor, wrongdoing is not presumed but instead ought to be proved, in case of doubt one must err [even] on the side of one who is guilty, in case of doubt of presumption stands on the side of the superior, in case of doubt one must judge based on what ordinarily is the case what usually happens, in case of doubt one must err on the side of the validity of the act, in case of doubt favors should be extended and disfavors (hostilities) restricted, in doubtful matters one is bound by the minimum

Question 23

What is a possessor?

Answer 23

not just a person, but also truth and falsity…

Question 24

What is the superior?

Answer 24

the higher thing

Question 25

What can be said regarding the validity of the act?

Answer 25

burden on proof is to prove invalidity

Question 26

What is a moral system?

Answer 26

method of arriving at moral certainty from a state of practical doubt

Question 27

What are the seven systems?

Answer 27

rigorism (absolute tutiorism), morderate tutiorism, probabiliorism, equiprobabilism, Pure probabilism, Lax probabilism, compensationism (system of sufficient cause)

Question 28

What is rigorism?

Answer 28

maintains that the safer course must always be followed even though the opinion in favour of liberty is most probable (Condemned by Alexander VIII)

Question 29

What is moderate tutiorism?

Answer 29

less safe opinion which favours liberty can be followed provided that it is most probable

Question 30

What is probabiliorism?

Answer 30

one may follow the opinion that favours liberty so long as it is clearly more probable than the opinion in favour of the law

Question 31

What is equiprobabilism?

Answer 31

when there are conflicting opinions which are eqaully or almost equally probable it is lawful to follow the opinion in favour of liberty when the doubt relates to the existence of law, but if the doubt concerns cessation of law then the law continues to bind

Question 32

What is pure probabilism?

Answer 32

in case of doubt relating to the lawfulness of acts and not to their validity it is always lawful to follow the opinion in favour of liberty if the opinion is certainly probable, even though the opinion in favour of the law is more probable

Question 33

What are the kinds of probability?

Answer 33

Intrinsic Probability and Extrinisc Probability?

Question 34

What is intrinsic probability?

Answer 34

when founded on reasons taken from the nature of the matter to prove its truth

Question 35

What is extrinsic probability?

Answer 35

based on authority of learned men

Question 36

What is an opinion extrinsically probably?

Answer 36

five or six noteworthy authoritiesin favor or at least one outstanding doctor lk STA or SA

Question 37

What are the three kinds of opinion?

Answer 37

certainly, doubtfully, slightly (all three depend on whether opinion rests on sold and firm arguments or doubtful or slight arguments

Question 38

When is probability absolute?

Answer 38

arguments in favor of an opinion considered by themselves appear to be valid

Question 39

When is probability relative?

Answer 39

arguments in favor of an opinion retain their value only when compared with the arguments supporting the contrary opinon

Question 40

what is lax probabilism?

Answer 40

lawful to follow an opinion that is not only certainly probable but even when the opinion is doubtfully or slightly possible

Question 41

What is compensationism (system of sufficient cause)?

Answer 41

one may follow a certainly probable opinion in favour of liberty, while abandoning a more probable opinion in favor of the law but when there is danger of sin there is required a sufficient reason for acting in favor of liberty

Question 42

What are the natural means for the education of conscience?

Answer 42

good education from beginning of childhood, faithful and continual examination of conscience

Question 43

What are the supernatural means?

Answer 43

fervent prayer to God, strenuous fight against man’s disordered passions with aid of divine grace, sacramental confession and obedience to spiritual director